Mounting means for lamps in headlights of automobiles



June 21, 1938; F. J. WATTS 2,121,310

MOUNTING MEANS FOR LAMPS IN HEADLIGHTS OF AUTOMOBILES Fiied Oct. 6, 1957INVENTO/PI FEL /X a. WA7'7'6' Patent ed June 21, 1938 MOUNTING MEANS FORLAlWPS IN HEAD- LIGHTS OF AUTOMOBILES Felix J. Watts, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Utility Patent Trust No. 17,938, Union Guardian Trust 00.,Detroit, .Mich a corporation of Michigan Application October 6, 1937,Serial No. 167,523

Claims. (01. 24041) This invention relates to improvements in thelighting systemsof automotive vehicles and more particularly to mountingmeans for lamps in headlights of automobiles.

that the lamps used in headlights of automobiles are properlyanduniversally so supported in relation to the reflector of theheadlight that the relation of the lamp filament to the focus of thereflector be constant or fixed so as to obtain .the proper lightingeffect. Many devices have been employed for mounting the socket of thelamp upon the rear of the reflector to accomplish this object and inmost instances the sockets have been provided with means to connect thesocket to the body of the reflector including resilient means betweenthe socket and the back of the reflector so that when the lamp isinserted therein, for replacement or otherwise, in each instance thefilament of. the lamp will bear the same relation to the focus of thereflector.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fixed or prefocusedsocket rigidly held against the rear of the reflector and to providemeans upon the base of the lamp to rigidly engage the front of thereflector with the filament in proper relation to the focus and maintainthe parts so assembled by resilient means in front of the reflector.

As will hereinafter be seen, it is a further object of this invention toassemble the usual annular flange upon the open end of the socket incontact with the rear of the reflector whereby when the socket isrigidly held in this manner, a seal against the entry, of dirt andmoisture into the socket is provided.

With these and other objects in view, reference is made to theaccompanying sheet of drawings which illustrate a preferred embodimentof this invention with the understanding that minor changes may be madewithout departing from the scope thereof.

In the drawing: V

Figure 1 is a view partly in central, vertical, longitudinal sectionthrough the center of the reflector and socket showing a lamp mountedtherein in side elevation with the socket partly broken away showingparts in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a View in section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view in section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in section taken on the line It is not only highlydesirable but necessary 5-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of thearrows.

Figure 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an expanded view in perspective illustrating the lampsocket, the headlight reflector and the lamp in spaced apart relation.

In the embodiment of this invention as illustrated, the reflector l ofthe commercial headlight for an automobile is provided with a flattenedsection 2 about the circular opening 3 for the insertion of the base tof the lamp 5.

The socket to receive the lamp base 4 includes a cylindrical member 6having an outstanding annular flange I at one end and supports a plug 8of Bakelite at the other end provided with two spaced apart cylindricalpassageways parallel to the axis of the member 6 to slidingly mount theterminals 9 of the wires ill of the lighting system. As customary insuch constructions, the terminals 9 are provided with enlarged headsupon the interior of the socket with a coil spring interposed betweeneach head and the block i to maintain the terminals of the wires incontact with the terminals of the lamp when inserted in the socket.

The flange 1 supports three spaced apart locking pins H which arerigidly attached thereto, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Each pin axiallymounts a locking sleeve l2, the walls of which are spaced apart from thesides of the pin and are conically tapered at the end adjacent theflange l to slidably engage the pin. The free end of each pin it isprovided with an enlarged head I3 reciprocable within the sleeve l2 anda coil spring Ma. is mounted about each pin ll having one end bearingupon the under side of the head it, and the other against the conicalend of the sleeve to cause the sleeve I2 to firmly engage the adjacentsurface of the flange 1.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the flat portion 2 of the reflector I aboutthe opening 3 is provided with three cylindrical openings l4 positionedto allow the locking sleeves l2 upon the flange 1 of the socket 6 topass therethrough. Each of the openings M is provided with a restrictedextension l5 adapted to allow of a rotative movement of the socket iiwith the extensions it: receiving the bodies of the pins H and at thesame time forcing the locking sleeves upward against the tension of thesprings Ma so that when the pins I l are at the ends of the extensionIS, the sleeves l2 firmly engage the front of the reflector and hold theflange l rigidly against the rear or back of the reflector. In order toremovably secure the socket in its locked position upon the back of thereflector the flange I is provided with struck up tongues l6 adjacenteach pin II and so positioned that when the socket has been rotated tothe positions shown in Figure 4 the tongues I6 will engage the oppositesides of the openings M.

The lamp base 4 is provided with a sleeve ll having an outstandingannular flange l8, as shown most clearly in Figure 6. The flange I8 isprovided with three slots l9 elongated in the path of a circleconcentric to the flange having one end 20 of circular formation ofsuflicient size to allow the lamp base flange It) to be inserted overthe locking sleeves l2 and to allow a rotation of the lamp base when theflange is in contact with the flat front portion of the reflector toforce the locking sleeves I2 upwardly against the tension of theirsprings Ma during the rotation. The other end 2| is of circularformation of sufficient size that when the lamp has been rotated theconical end of the locking sleeve l2 will engage the circular sides ofthe end 2| and firmly hold the lamp in fixed relation to the socket andin contact with the front side of the reflector I.

The cylindrical surface of the member 6 of the socket is preferablyknurled to assist in the rotation of the socket after the lockingsleeves l2 have been inserted from the rear through the reflector Iuntil the tongues 16 snap into the openings Id. In this position, thesocket pins ll rigidly carried upon the socket flange I are inengagement with one end of the openings I4 in the reflector body withthe abutment end of the socket flange tongues I6 in engagement with theopposite end of said openings and the flat surface of the socket flangel is ,held in rigid engagement with the flattened surface 2 about theopening 3 in the reflector by the tension of the locking sleeves l2engaging the outer surface of the reflector so that it requires theexertion of suflicient force to overcome simultaneously the combinedresistance of the three springs Ma to withdraw the socket flange 1 awayfrom the reflector to clear all of the abutting ends of the tongues l6before the socket can be detached from the reflector. Lamps may beassembled and disassembled with the socket in place with much lesseffort, and the rigid connection between the socket flange and rear ofthe reflector will not be disturbed as the conical ends of the lockingsleeves l2 exercise a simultaneous wedging action to compress thesprings Ma when the lamp is rotated to cause the conical ends of thelocking sleeves l2 to enter or be removed from the restricted circularends 2| of the openings 20 in the lamp flange l8.

As shown in the embodiment of this invention, the lamp 5 is of thecustomary two filament type and to assure that the two terminals in thelamp base from the respective filaments register in contact with the twoterminals 9 of the wires ll! of the lighting system, it is necessary toso locate the locking pins H that when the lamp base 4 has been insertedin the socket and rotated to the locked position the terminals of thelamp are in contact with the terminals of the wires. In order that thelamp 5 may be replaced and assume the proper position, it is preferableto arrange two of the locking pins H at a lesser distance from eachother on the flange 1 than the distance between the third pin H toeither of the said pins. As the slots 19 in the flange 18 of the lampbase 4 register with the locking sleeves I2 on the pins H, if the twomost adjacent pins I i are arranged at the top of the opening 3 in thereflector and the space between the most adjacent slots I9 in the lampflange I8 is marked Top the proper position of the lamp for theinsertion is readily indicated.

From the above, it is readily seen that this improved mounting meansallows an assembly of the socket upon the rear of the reflector to forma seal for the socket and the mounting of the spring pressed lockingsleeves on pins rigidly carried on the socket flange. The mounting ofthe locking sleeves on the front of the reflector allows the readyassembly or removal of a lamp without breaking said seal, eliminatesstrain tending to bend the socket pins as the lamp flange engages thepart of the pins adjacent their rigid attachment to the socket flange,and also eliminates binding of the lamp flange in passing into and outof its properly assembled position, and eliminates the tendency to breakthe lamp in the operators hand which occurs where excessive pressuremust be applied in assembling or disassembling a lamp. It also insures aconsistent positioning of the lamp in the correct position uponassembly.

What I claim is:

1. A lamp assembly for a headlight comprising a lamp, a curved reflectorwith an opening for receiving the lamp base and a flattened surfacethereabout, a cup shaped socket for the reception and electricalconnection to the lamp, an integral flange upon one end of the socketadapted to closely engage the rear of the fiat surface of the reflector,a flange about the lamp base adapted to closely engage the front of theflat surface of the reflector when the base is inserted in the socket, aplurality of locking pins rigidly secured at one end upon the socketflange, openings provided in the reflector and lamp base flange toreceive the locking pins, and spring pressed means mounted upon the freeends of said pins to engage the outer side of the lamp base flange fordetachably holding the said flanges in close contact with opposite sidesof the reflector when the lamp has established the electrical connectionwithin the socket.

2. A lamp assembly for a headlight comprising a lamp, a curved reflectorwith an opening for receiving the lamp base and a flat surfacethereabout, a cup shaped socket for the reception and electricalconnection to the lamp, an integral annular flange upon one end of thesocket adapted to closely engage the rear of the flat surface of thereflector, an annular flange about the lamp base adapted to closelyengage the front of the flat surface of the reflector when the base isinserted in the socket, and means for detachably holding the saidflanges in contact with opposite sides of the flat surface of thereflector when the lamp base has been inserted to establish theelectrical connection within the socket including a plurality of spacedapart locking pins rigidly mounted on the socket flange, spring pressedretractable locking sleeves mounted on each of said pins, and aperturesprovided in the reflector and lamp base flange for the passage of thelocking pins and locking sleeves therethrough.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the said locking sleeves areprovided with conical ends adjacent the socket flange, and wherein thefree ends of the said locking pins are provided with enlarged heads toguide the locking sleeves.

4. A lamp assembly for a headlight comprising a lamp, a curved reflectorwith an opening for receiving the lamp base and a flattened surfacethereabout, and a cup shaped lamp socket having an integral annularflange about the open end adapted to be held in engagement with the flatsurface upon the rear of the reflector, an annular flange upon the baseof the lamp adapted to be held in engagement with the flat surface uponthe front of the reflector with the electric terminals of the lamp inelectrical contact with the terminals within the socket, spaced apartlocking pins rigidly secured at one end upon the socket flange,cylindrical spring pressed locking sleeves mounted on said pins havingconical ends adjacent the socket flange, openings provided in thereflector to allow the passage of the locking sleeves therethrough, saidopenings having restricted extensions allowing the socket to be rotatedto cause the conical ends of the locking sleeves to engage the reflectorbody about the restricted portions of the openings, tongues struck up onthe socket flange adapted to engage the edges of the larger openings toprevent counter-rotation of the socket, openings provided in the lampbase flange to allow the passage of the locking sleeves therethrough,said openings having restricted extensions terminating in circular ends.allowing the lamp to be rotated to cause the conical ends of the lockingsleeves to engage the edges about the circular ends of the restrictedportions of the lamp base flange openings to hold the lamp detachablymounted upon the reflector with the socket flange and lamp flange incontact with opposite sides of the reflector.

5. A lamp socket for a headlight assembly including a cylindrical shell,an integral annular flange at one end thereof, an air-tight closure atthe other end, spring pressed terminals mounted upon said closure andconnected to the wires of the lighting system, spaced apart locking pinsrigidly secured at one end upon the socket flange in prolongation of theopen end of the socket, locking sleeves having conical ends mounted uponsaid pins with the conical ends adjacent the said flange, enlarged headson the free ends of said pins, coil springs mounted on said pinsinterposed between the enlarged heads and the conical ends of thelocking sleeves, whereby the socket may be assembled upon the headlightreflector With the conical ends of the. locking sleeves engaging thefront of the reflector to hold the socket flange in contact with therear of the reflector to provide a seal between the reflector andinterior of the socket.

FELIX J. WATTS.

